Horse Sense
by patricia51
Summary: There are all sorts of riding. Sometimes more than one kind takes place in a single day. And sometimes it leads to more than riding; it leads to memories and feelings. Takes place after "Beastmaster". Gibbs/May Dawson.


Horse Sense by patricia51

(There are all sorts of riding. Sometimes more than one kind takes place in a single day. And sometimes it leads to more than riding; it leads to memories and feelings. Takes place after "Beastmaster". Gibbs/May Dawson.)

(Note: Originally this had a more suggestive title and was intended to be more of a sexually explicit story but the more that I heard Gibbs think and then talk the more the story went in another direction. Rated "T" because it DOES involve two people in bed together.)

It was just about impossible for anyone to even imagine that Leroy Jethro Gibbs was capable of letting his mind wander. The NCIS Major Case Response Team leader had a well-earned and well-deserved reputation for always being focused on whatever task was in front of him. Not that he couldn't think outside the box or make leaps of intuition but mind wandering? Wool-gathering? Impossible.

And yet here he was doing just that. His eyes were closed but even had they been open they wouldn't have been seeing what was actually around him. They were seeing a well-marked trail, winding through towering trees and open grassy meadows. The breeze was fluttering the branches and felt wonderful against his face. The horse moved easily under him; the leather of the saddle creaked. He reached down and patted Jody on the side of the neck. The horse snorted, pleased at the attention.

Beside him Jasper snorted as well. A silvery laugh mingled with the sound of the horses. He looked to his side. US Park Police Sergeant May Dawson smiled at him as they rode together. Her blonde hair was caught back from her face in a ponytail but the ends floated in the breeze enough so that she had to push them back occasionally. It was a nice smile from a nice lady. And a good cop.

And one heckuva horsewoman. He admired the way she rode; how she and Jasper fit together so that horse and rider were practically one. It brought back memories, including those he had already shared with May.

He hadn't gone riding since he had lost Kelly and Shannon. Back then it had been something special, something part of their lives together. It hadn't happened as often as they would have liked, but then with deployments and training exercises nothing much had happened with his family that he hadn't wished even back then had taken place more often. He was glad to be riding again. Somehow it seemed to bring some things into focus.

For so long he had pretty much dealt with his loss by ignoring it. He stayed focused on the task at hand; whether it was a case of the latest boat he was building. He stayed busy and that kept the memories at bay and with that the pain. But had he been wrong? Okay at first he HAD to hold the sorrow at arms length. His anger and thirst for vengeance was what carried him back then. But once that was over he had continued to suppress his thoughts of Shannon and Kelly. It hurt too much.

But when he started remembering and talking about Kelly's experience with the horse so long ago he had been surprised at his feelings. Rather than upsetting him those memories had been good. They had warmed him. Even made him happy. He and Shannon together; watching their daughter's fierce determination to make that horse better.

Perhaps when the loss had been fresh it had been the best thing to concentrate on the here and now and not look back. But time had passed. The ache in his heart would never leave him completely and he didn't want that. That would mean that he no longer cared and that would never happen. But now his grief had softened and his anger had left him so he could look back on those days and smile. There were so many memories; they crowded around him as though they were embracing him.

He definitely would have to ride more often. Of course May had already invited him whenever he wanted, here or at her place. He grinned as he recalled her telling him she got the best part of the spoils in her divorce, the truck and the horses. Her ex was obviously an idiot and Gibbs wouldn't be at all surprised to find out one day that the charms of the twenty-three year old assistant would fade and May's ex would realize what he had lost. Too bad for him.

He looked forward to the next ride. Heck he had even when they were still on the first one. He smiled, remembering when May had laughed again and touched Jasper with her heels. No spurs had ever adorned the boots she wore and none were needed. At that light touch the horse had bounced ahead. She had looked over her shoulder. "Catch up. If you can." He had felt Jody's muscles tense the horse only waiting for the command to run. He had given him his head and after May and Jasper they had gone. His laughter at the chase had come from his heart.

His thoughts were interrupted. The side of a foot touched his leg. That foot was bare. So, in fact were the side of a shapely calf and that of a firm thigh against his leg, also bare. Fingertips touched his face.

"Where did you go Jethro? You looked like you were a million miles away."

He rolled over on to his side to face the woman beside him. May was on her side as well; her head propped up by her other hand, the bended elbow against the bed. Her blonde hair was unbound now, framing her face and falling in soft waves around her shoulders. The sheet she was wrapped up in concealed most of what Jethro now had good reason to know was a very fit and attractive body. He reached out and ran his fingers through that shinning hair.

"I was. If not in distance than in time." He paused and smiled. "Well not completely. I was also remembering our horse back ride last weekend."

May pouted; a pout that Jethro already could see through. "Just last weekend? Nothing about yesterday's ride? Or rides maybe, if you consider that not all involved horses."

He pretended to ponder her question for a minute. Finally he shook his head. "Nope, just remembering the memorable stuff."

"You!" The Park Police Sergeant yanked the shared pillow out from under them and waved it threatenly in the air.

"You," Jethro calmly ignored May's playful threat. Instead he leaned forward and kissed her. He settled back into his former position and looked at her. "You know what I mean. Yesterday and last night was wonderful. The riding, of all kinds, was great. But last weekend; working with Jody and riding him along with you, brought back memories I had long pushed aside."

"Memories of Kelly."

"Yes."

"And of Shannon too?"

"Some yes. But mostly of Kelly."

"I'm glad. Glad of both."

A raised eyebrow took the place of an unspoken question.

"Jethro I don't know you that well. Yet." The blonde police officer grinned. "Even after this." She grew serious again. "I don't pretend to understand your loss. I certainly won't try to claim 'I know what you have been going through'. We have all lost people we loved but yours was particularly devastating. Wife and daughter, your present and future, both gone in an instant."

"There are as many ways to handle grief as there are people mourning. Even more than people." He nodded, thinking of Jasper. "And none of them are wrong in themselves." Holding the sheet around her body she sat up. "But Jethro I thought what you told me about Kelly was wonderful. SHE was obviously wonderful. Don't hide her and Shannon away. Don't let them be forgotten."

She smiled. "I don't mean talk about them twenty four seven. It's not "let me tell you about my grandchildren". Just share them. They were special to you. And why not, they were special people. Let your memories flow."

May looked embarrassed. "Anyway that's my advice column for today."

"Thanks."

"And may I suggest that any further talk be over breakfast?"

"That sounds very good."

May rolled gracefully out of the bed. She caught up an over-sized t-shirt from a nearby chair, snagged a pair of panties from an open dresser drawer and slipped into them so quickly that Gibbs barely had time to appreciate her firm toned body. But then he HAD appreciated it a lot the night before.

"And after breakfast we can go riding so you better build up your strength."

"Think the horses are ready for another workout like yesterday?" Jethro asked.

May grinned. "I never said anything about horses."

(The End) 


End file.
